


when it doesn't need to be said

by SaraJaye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety, Episode: s08e01 Launch Date, Hugs, Keith is just so grateful to Shiro okay, M/M, Missing Scene, Shiro is a workaholic, Sunsets, Unspoken ways to say "I Love You", apprehension, mild pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 13:17:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20817905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: Keith wasn't alone for long after Lance left for his date with Allura.





	when it doesn't need to be said

**Author's Note:**

> _Author's choice, author's choice, your arms circle around me and I am home._

_Go. Be with the ones you love._

He'd spent part of the day with Mom and the rest of the Blades, before letting Mom and Kolivan go off to spend the afternoon alone. He'd given Lance a pep talk about his upcoming date with Allura. Now, he and Kosmo sat watching the sunset.

His mind somewhere between _this is the last day on Earth before we go back and finish this war_ and _is Shiro still working?_ He wouldn't put it past his old friend. For as long as Keith had known Shiro, he'd been a workaholic; fixing his hoverbike, helping Adam or Commander Holt grade papers, talking to cadets. In space, he'd be training long past whatever passed for midnight, putting all his energy into bonding with Black or leading the team.

Barely ever giving himself time to relax.

_And once we leave here tomorrow, we'll have even less time to relax._ And suddenly every other thought was eclipsed by apprehension, because they didn't know what they were facing once they left Earth. So far Allura and Romelle hadn't gotten any information out of the Altean pilot, and even with Lotor and Zarkon gone, Haggar was still out there. Just because they'd saved Earth didn't mean things were going to get any easier from here on out.

"But we'll be fine as long as we're all together, right?" Keith tried to smile as he reached down to pet Kosmo. "We survived the lions crashing to Earth, the battle with Lotor...what _haven't_ we survived at this point?"

And Earth would be fine too, right? Even with half the Garrison on board the Atlas, there were still more than enough people back on Earth, of all species. _And we drove off the Galra invasion, they're not coming back._

It was just the usual battle anxiety, Keith thought as he kept petting Kosmo, who nuzzled his hand reassuringly. For every spontaneous battle they'd seen, they'd had at least one they had time to prepare for. Like the fight with-

_With Zarkon. The one Shiro..._ Keith closed his eyes, his stomach twisting and his heart growing heavy. They'd prepared like crazy for the battle with Zarkon, only to lose Shiro, find out Zarkon had a son who would take his place, and end up fighting to keep what little stability they'd managed to bring to a tiny part of the universe.

_And Shiro died._ Shiro died, he'd been trapped in the Black Lion, he'd been dead all that time and if it hadn't been for Allura he wouldn't be here with them now. _What if it happens again? What if Shiro, or anyone else dies out there? And what if Allura can't bring them back this time? What if-_

"Hey." A familiar, gentle voice broke through his growing panic. "Sorry I'm late." Shiro's mecha hand rested on his shoulder, and Keith felt his worried train of thought come to a halt before disappearing into nothing. It was amazing how after all this time, that one simple touch could relax him so thoroughly. Keith turned to him with a relieved smile, letting out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding onto.

"You had work to do. I wasn't gonna hold it against you if you didn't show up," he said. "But I'm glad you did." Kosmo yipped happily, teleporting over to Shiro's other side and nuzzling his hand. Shiro smiled, giving the wolf a scratch behind his ears.

"If I know you, you've been sitting here alone all evening," he said. "That's why I worked faster than usual. Probably made a few mistakes, probably made some cadets feel rushed out of my office, but hey, I wasn't going to miss spending at least part of our last day on Earth with you."

"Shiro..." Keith smiled, blinking away a few tears of happiness threatening to fall. "This is why I-" And he stopped himself. On paper, today would be the perfect day to tell Shiro how he felt, how he'd felt for years now. But in practice, it was too risky. What if one of them died out there? Was Shiro fully over losing Adam? Would he seem pushy or entitled saying something like that if Shiro didn't feel the same way?

"Hey." Shiro squeezed his shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" Keith rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's nothing."

And Kosmo chose _that moment_ to teleport away, as if he expected something to happen. Shiro chuckled, ruffling the back of Keith's hair.

"Kosmo clearly doesn't think so."

"Maybe he was hungry," Keith said. "Or had to pee." Shiro smiled, pulling him closer.

"Maybe."

"Look, Shiro..." Keith sighed. "Whatever happens out there, I just...want you to know how much you and your friendship mean to me, how much they've meant to me since you first held out your hand and told me you'd never give up on me," he said quietly. "Even little things like coming here to sit and watch the last of the sunset with me. You've given me so much, I feel like I'll never be able to repay you."

"Keith..." Shiro's cheeks reddened. "You give me too much credit. I did what I did because I saw someone with potential and I didn't want it to go to waste. Anyone would've done the same."

"Not for me."

Shiro's arms circled around him, drawing him close to his chest.

"You turning out as well as you have is all the thanks I need," Shiro murmured, and Keith closed his eyes, melting into the embrace. His cheek against Shiro's shoulder, feeling his heart beat against his cheek, breathing in his scent, soaking in his warmth. Suddenly all thoughts of tomorrow, the next few weeks and what they might face were miles away.

_As long as you and I are together, I know I'm safe._

Shiro drew him closer, lips brushing against his hairline, and the words Keith had debated saying for weeks faded from his tongue, instead wrapping around the two of them like a blanket. They didn't need to say it, because each one knew, and that was enough.

_Just to be close to you is enough, Shiro, and it always will be._


End file.
